Type-writing machine.



E. 0. LAWRENGE. TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED OUT. 19,1910.

Patented July 15, 1913.

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ERNALD CUTHIBERT LAWRENCE, OF COVENTRY,

WOOD TYPEWRITER COMPANY, OF NEW YORK,

WARE.

ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO UNDER- N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELA- TYPE-WRITIN GMACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 19, 1910.

Patented July 15, 1913. Serial No. 587,856.

To all whom, 2'15 may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNALD C. LAWRENCE, a subject of the King of GreatBritain, residing in Coventry, England, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Type-1V riting Machines, of which the followingis a specification.

The present invention relates to typewriting machines of the class inwhich the ribbon is vibrated at each stroke of the type keys to causethe ribbon to cover and uncover the printing point.

More particularly the invention relates to machines employing two ormore ribbons, movable relatively to one another to permit one or theother, according to selection, to be set so as to be vibrated to theprinting point at the type strokes, while the other ribbons are renderedineffective or idle; or to render all ribbons idle, as when it isdesired to use the machine for stenciling purposes.

Certain features of the invention are especially adapted for use inthose machines in which the platen is shifted between an upper and alower type case position, and to this end the connections bet-ween theribbon carrier actuating mechanism and the platen shifting frame aresuch that the proper relation of the same is maintained in whichevertype case position the platen may be.

The invention is of the general class shown in U. S. patent to Kunath,928,987, dated July 27, 1909, in which two ribbons are shown, one infront of the other, adjustable along parallel planes between effectiveand ineffective setting positions on the vibrator, and with the ribboncarriers connected by a cross arm, so that while one ribbon is lifted toeffective setting, the other is simultaneously depressed to idle orineffective setting.

One object of the present invention is to provide a means for effectingthe selection and setting of the ribbon carriers from the keyboard orother easily accessible part of the machine; the means to this end beingsimple and certain in action, and the setting being at all times readilyascertainable.

One of the principal features of the in vention is a system ofconnections to a cross arm such as shown in the patent above referredto, for rocking the cross arm in either direction to set and unset theribbon carriers, the connections being especially designed to beoperative in either type case position of the platen, and to permit ofthe shift of the platen without disturbing the ribbon setting.

A further feature of the invention is the mounting of the carriers in avibrator casing which is movable as a unitat each type stroke and whichserves as a guide for the carriers and provides means for limiting themovement of the carriers.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view through the machinefrom front to rear, showing in side elevation the mechanism relating tothe present invention. Fig. 2 is a view in perspective, taken from therear, of the ribbon vibrator with the ribbon carriers mount-ed therein.Fig. 3 is a rear view of the ribbon vibrator and carriers, with thecarriers in one set position. Fig. 4; is a rear view of the ribbonvibrator and carriers, with the carriers in another set position, andshowing also the connections for setting the carriers. Fig. 5 is a viewin cross section. Fig. 6 is a view in cross section on the line 66 ofFig. 3.

The main frame of the machine is inclicated by 1. Mounted to have up anddown movement in the main frame is a platen frame 2 carrying the platen3, and having cross members at on which is mounted a roller 5. Theroller 5 rests on a guide rail 6 carried by a shift frame 7 pivoted'at 8to the main frame. The depending member 8 of the shift frame is engagedby an arm 9 of the shift key lever 10 pivoted at 11 so that when theshift key 10 is operated, the shift frame is rocked around the pivot 8to lift the guide rail 6, and with it the platen frame and platen, fromlower to upper case position. The type keys 12 are carried by key levers13 also pivoted at 11. The type bars 14 are pivoted at 15 and areconnected to the type key levers 13. to be operated by the latter, bymeans of bell crank levers 16 pivoted at 17. The depression of a typekey throws the type bar up and forward to the platen in the usualmanner. The type bars carry upper and lower case type, adapted, in oneor the other position of the platen, to be brought to the printing pointof the latter.

The ribbon vibrator comprises the casing 18 adapted to have up and downmovement in upright guides 19 fast to a horizontal plate 20 secured to aframe member 21. The vibrator casing 18 has a depending tongue orextension 22 carrying a cross pin 23 en gaged by the arm 24 of a bellcrank lever pivoted at 25 to a bracket 25 carried by the rail 6. Theother arm of the bell crank lever is a vertically disposed arm 26carrying a pin 27 engaged by a slot 28 in an arm or bracket 29 carriedon a sliding plate or universal bar member 30 which extends forward soas to be engaged and be operated by the type bars 14 when the latter areoperated. \Vhen, therefore, a type bar is operated, the universal bar30, with the slotted arm 29, is forced rearward, and by engagement withthe bell crank lever arm 26, rocks this lever and raises the ribbonvibrator casing 18 so that the ribbon may be lifted to the printingpoint.

In the vibrator casing 18 are two ribbon carriers 31 and 32respectively, one arranged forward of the other, and each adapted to beshifted or reciprocated up or down in the vibrator casing. In thecarrier 31, there is threaded a ribbon 33 which is fed back and forthbetween ribbon spools, one of which spools 34, is shown in Fig. 1. Inthe carrier 32 is threaded a ribbon 35 which may be similarly mountedupon, and fed between two ribbon spools, or which may be mounted asindicated in United States patent aforesaid #928,987, dated July 27,1909, wherein the one ribbon is shown as completely embracing the otherribbon and the spools therefor. Pivoted at 36 in the vibrator casing 18is a rock arm 37 which lies between the carriers 31 and 32 and which isturned at one end to have a detent 38 engaging a slot 39 in the carrier32; and which is reversely turned at the other end to have a detent 40engaging a slot 41 in the carrier 31. When the bar 37 is rocked on itspivot 36 to position shown in Fig. 3, the carrier 31 is lifted with itsribbon 33, while carrier 32 with ribbon 35 is depressed. WVhen the rockbar 37 is rocked to position shown in Fig. 4, the carrier 32 with ribbon35 is lifted, and the carrier 31 with ribbon 33, depressed. If eithercarrier 31 or 32 is in its uppermost position, due to the position ofthe arm 37, the ribbon carried by that carrier is in position to bebrought to the printing point when the vibrator casing 18 with thecarriers, is lifted by the lever 24, actuated from the type keys. Wheneither of the carriers is in its lower case position, the ribbon carriedthereby cannot be brought to the printing point by movement of thecarrier casing 18. When the rock arm 37 is horizontal so that thecarriers 31 and 32 are at the same elevation, neither ribbon can bebrought to printing position by the vibrator casing 18. In this lastinstance, both ribbons are silent when the type keys are operated, andthe machine is set for stenciling.

Fast to the rock bar 37 is a lever arm 42 carrying at its end a pin 43to which is pivotally connected a link 44. The link 44 is pivotallyattached at its other end to a lever arm 45 fast to a rock shaft 46,which extends forward and terminates at the front of the machine. Alsofast to the rock shaft 46 on the front of the machine, is the crank armor hand lever 47 carrying a finger piece 48 by means of which the rockshaft may be turned in either direction until arrested by stops 48 or49. According to the direction of movement of the crank arm 47 with therock shaft, the rock bar 37 is rocked in one direction or the other tomove the ribbon carriers in the manner heretofore described. If thecrank arm 47 is in the full line Fig. 4 position, the rock bar 37 is setfor the rib bon 35. hen the crank arm is in its left hand dotted lineposition (Fig. 4), the rock bar 37 is set for the ribbon 33. WVhen thecrank arm is in intermediate (dotted line Fig. 4 position, the rock bar37 is set so that neither ribbon can be elevated to the printing pointby movement of the casing 18. The position of the crank arm 47,therefore, determines the setting of the carriers for one or the otherribbon, or for neither ribbon, as the case may be. As the vibratorcasing 18 moves up and down when the keys are operated, it oscillatesthe link 44 around the point of attachment of the latter to the arm 45,without however moving the arm 45. The link 44, therefore. swings idlyon its pivotal connection with the arm 45 when neither the arm 45 northe arm 42 is turned on its pivot. The movement of the carriers 31 and32 to set position is limited not only by the stops 48 and 49, but alsoby the engagement of the carriers with the turned port-ions 50 of thevibrator casing 18.

The operation of the ribbon-setting mechanism is the same whether theplaten is in lower or upper type case position. The lever 24 whichsupports the vibrator casing 18, being supported on the bracket 25 ofthe shift frame, moves as a unit with the carriers 31 and 32 when theplaten is shifted, without disturbing the setting of the ribboncarriers.

It will therefore be seen that my improvement provides shiftable meanson the'stationary framework of the machine for positively shifting theribbon, said ,shiftable means constantly connected to the ribboncarriers to shift therewith, so that the carriers can not be displacedby shifting the platen or by the vibration of the machine.

The structure shown and described is susceptible of variousmodifications within the scope of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a typewriting machine, a ribbon mechanism comprising a plate, aribbon carrier, a lever carrying said carrier and pivoted on said plate,an arm on said lever to move it to raise and lower said carrier, a linkto move said arm, a rock shaft on the frame, on an arm of which saidlink is hung, and a handle for moving said shaft.

2. In a typewriter, a ribbon shift mechanism comprising two ribboncarriers, a cas ing, and a lever for shifting said carriers workingbetween said carriers and pivoted on said casing.

3. The combination with a platen, of a type bar, a vibrator, a ribboncarrier adjustably mounted on said vibrator, a rock bar engaging saidcarrier, an arm fastto said rock bar, and means fast to said arm formanipulating said bar to vary the position of said carrier and theribbon thereon with respect to the printing point.

4:. The combination with a platen, of a type bar cooperating with saidplaten at the printing point, a vibrator comprising a casing having sideand top walls, a carrier slidingly mounted in said casing guided by saidside wall and limited in its motion by said top wall, means forreciprocating said vibrator, and means for varying the position of saidcarrier in said vibrator so as to determine the active and inactiveperiods of the ribbon carried by said carrier.

5. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a platen, of a typebar cooperating with said platen at the printing point of the machine, avibrator, a plurality of ribbon carriers adjustably mounted in saidvibrator, and a controlling mechanism mounted upon the stationarymachine framework, and positively connected to said carriers and havinga plurality of definite positions corresponding respectively to theactive states of each of said ribbon carriers.

6. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a vibrator, of meansfor oscil latingsaid vibrator, a ribbon carrier adjustably mounted onsaid vibrator so as to have a vertical movement relative thereto, and acontrol having parts oscillating sidewise to produce a vertical movementof said carrier relative to said vibrator so as to determine theactivity of said carrier and the ribbon carried thereby; said controlbeing positively connected to said carrier so as to certainly move saidcarrier from any posit-ion of adjustment to any selected position ofadjustment.

7. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a vibrator, of a pairof ribbon carriers adjustably mounted on said vibrator, and a rock barhaving turned ends engaging said carriers to vary their positionrelative to said vibrator.

8. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a vibrator, of a pairof ribbon carriers adjustably mounted on said vibrator, and means forvarying the position of said carriers relative to said vibratorinterposed between said carriers and supported by said vibrator.

9. The combination with a vibrator, of a ribbon carrier adjustablymounted on said vibrator, a lever on said vibrator for varying theposition of said carrier relative to said vibrator, a link fast to saidlever, a rock shaft on the stationary part of the machine and connectedto said link, and a handle for manipulating said rock shaft.

10. In a typewriter machine having a frame, the combination with avibrator, of a ribbon carrier adjustably mounted on said vibrator, andmeans mounted on a stationary portion of said frame and fast to saidcarrier for varying the position of said carrier relative to saidvibrator, the parts connecting said means and said carrier being soarranged that the movement of said vibrator will be free frominterference from said means.

11. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a vibrator, of a pairof ribbon carriers adjustably mounted on said vibrator, a rock barinterposed between said carriers having ends out-turned in oppositedirections and connected to said carriers to move said carriersconcomitantly in opposite directions, means for oscillating saidvibrator, and means for rocking said rock bar.

12. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a platen, of a typebar, ribbon carriers, a vibrator to move said carriers so as to raisethe ribbons thereon up to the printing point between the type bar andthe platen, a positive connection from said vibrator to said carriers,and a controlling device for manipulating said. connection to vary theposition of said carriers and said ribbons thereon with respect to saidprinting point, said controlling device being posi tively secured tosaid connection.

13. In a typewriting machine, a widtlr wise shifting mechanism for aribbon, comprising a horizontal rock bar having a vertical arm rigidtherewith and a horizontally extending link directly connected to saidarm and fast thereon so as to actuate said lever, said link having ahorizontal move.- ment to produce a vertical movement of a part of saidshifting lever.

14L. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a vibrator, of meansfor oscil lating said vibrator, ribbon carriers adjustably mounted onsaid vibrator so as to have vertical movement relatively thereto, and acontrolling device mounted upon the stationary framework of the machineand positively connected to said carrier, and including partsoscillating sidewise to produce opposite vertical movements of saidcarrier relatively to said vibrator so as to determine the activity ofsaid carriers and the ribbons carried thereby.

15. In the ribbon mechanism of a typewriting machine, the combination ofa T- shaped rock lever having ends turned out in opposite directions,ribbon carriers connected to said lever to be rendered alternatelyeffective by opposite arms thereof, and means to shift said lever,connected to the middle arm of said lever.

16. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a platen, of a typebar adapted to cooperate with said platen at the printing point of themachine, a vibrator, a ribbon carrier adjustably mounted on saidvibrator, shiftable means upon the stationary frame of the machine foradjusting said ribbon carrier relatively to said vibrator to vary theposition of the ribbon relatively to the printing point of the machine,said shiftable means constantly connected to said carrier to shift todifierent positions therewith, and means for oscillating said vibratorto determine the position of the ribbon relatively to the printingpoint.

17. The combination withakey-controlled vibrator, of ribbon carriersmounted thereon, a lever connecting said carriers to shift themconcomitantly in opposite directions, and a shiftable controlling membermounted upon the stationary framework of the machine and connected tosaid lever to shift therewith; the connection between the lever and thecontrolling member being loose to permit the vibrator to operate.

18. The combination withakey co-ntrolled vibrator, of ribbon carriersmounted thereon, a lever having oppositely moving arms, one connected toeach of said carriers, a shiftable controlling member mounted upon thestationary framework of the machine, and a link connecting saidcontrolling member to said lever.

19. The combination with a key-controlled vibrator, of ribbon carriersmounted thereon, a lever having oppositely moving arms, one connected toeach of said carriers, a third arm on said lever, a shiftablecontrolling member mounted upon the stationary framework of the machine,and a link connecting said controlling member to said third arm, andarranged to swing idly at the operation of the vibrator.

20. The combination with a key-controlled vibrator, of ribbon carriersmounted thereon, a device connecting said carriers to shift themconcomitantly in opposite directions, and a shiftable controlling membermounted upon the stationary framework of the machine, and having a looseconnection to said connecting device to shift therewith while permittingsaid vibrator to operate.

ERNALD CUTHBERT LAWRENCE.

Witnesses:

L. G. MORGAN, R. WILSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

